Reviewed: 27.5 Mountain Bikes for All Trails

Turner Burner 27.5

6 / 6

More than any other bike, the Burner supported the often-heard claim that 27.5 wheels combine the stability of 29ers with the nimble feel of 26-inch models. “I immediately felt at home,” said one tester.

Thanks in part to carbon wheels from Enve, the burner was the second-lightest of the bunch. The DW-Link suspension ­offered crisp pedaling and efficiently transmitted power to the wheels. Unlike bikes with a lockout, the suspension remained active on climbs and provided excellent traction when we needed it most.

The Burner has 140mm of travel, which is tuned to the firm side. The suspension lacked the small-bump sensitivity of the Norco and Intense, but its exceptional midstroke control prevented the bike from wallowing on rutted trails.

Turner’s Sultan was one of the first great long-travel 29ers, but company founder David Turner said he never felt comfortable on that bike. “I see the benefits of 29ers—they roll through rough ­terrain the way a 26er never could,” he said. “But I’m a shorter guy and Icouldn’t find my groove on a Sultan. So 27.5 seemed like it would be just right.”

Our testers agreed, loving the Burner’s geometry and raving about the 65-degree head angle on our prototype test bike. It provided excellent stability at high speeds and made the bike ride like it had more travel. Surprisingly, none of our testers felt that the slack angle hindered slow-speed handling.